Rainbow flag stolen from Mill Valley church, police investigating

Just weeks after it was smeared with grease, the rainbow flag flying outside the Community Church of Mill Valley was stolen and its metal holder vandalized, prompting police to investigate.

"Marin seems to be a fairly tolerant community, so it's surprising when stuff like this happens here," said Mill Valley police Detective Sgt. Paul Wrapp. "Based upon the nature of the flag, it's possible it was hate-related or some sort of prejudiced statement toward the gay community."

The rainbow flag has long been a symbol of gay rights. The church began flying the 3-by-5-foot flag to show support for the LGBT community after the June Supreme Court ruling allowing same-sex weddings to resume in California. It was donated by Bob Harmon, a longtime church member.

"We don't know exactly what it (the theft) meant, but it's not a pleasant thing," said Harmon, who reported the missing flag and bent holder to police.

The theft of the nylon multicolored flag took place sometime between 9 p.m. Friday when the church caretaker left and 9 a.m. Saturday when church members assembled for a work party at the church on Olive Street, Harmon said.

Harmon ordered a new 5-by-8-foot flag at a cost of $70 on Monday.

"We are going to display it again. This is just part of being welcoming to a part of the community. We're a church that is open and affirming to everybody," he said.

The church was established in 1929 and has a long history of activism in social justice issues. Representatives of the church were among the Freedom Riders who went to the South in the early 1960s to oppose segregation on buses. The congregation is best known for founding The Redwoods retirement center in 1973.

Harmon said the church is available to same-sex couples who wish to have a church wedding.

"We will continue to be welcoming to people, offering religious services and maybe even a wedding venue that would be more celebratory than a trip to the county clerk," Harmon said. "That was how I was married in 2008 and it was a wonderful day of celebration."

"The Community Church of Mill Valley has long embraced LGBT people, and I know this act of vandalism will not stop them from continuing to do so," said Paula Pilecki, executive director of Spectrum, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender center based in San Rafael.

"There is an opportunity here for neighbors to demonstrate to the surrounding community that acts of aggression and hate against any group of people will not be tolerated," Pilecki said. The executive director mentioned Not In Our Town, NIOT.org, an organization that works with communities in that direction.

"The community needs to send a message to whoever did this: 'Hate will not be tolerated in our town,'" Pilecki said.

"We don't have any significant leads right now and we encourage anyone who has information to come forward," Wrapp said. "If anyone wishes to do so anonymously, they can call our tip line at 721-4547." The flag has two distinguishing characteristics: There is a small diagonal corner in the lower (purple) stripe, and Harmon's name is inked in the hoist.